The general procedure and reducing lotions employed in the curling or straightening of hair are well known and typically involve steps of wetting the hair, uniformly applying the reducing lotion, wrapping the ends of the lotion saturated hair on rods, remoistening the wrapped hair, positioning a strip of absorbent material around the hair line to absorb drippings, allowing the lotion to set hair in a restructured form within a determined period and then neutralizing to halt the chemical action. It is evident that the above procedure has many chemical and phsyical disadvantages including a time consuming, messy procedure, the use of liquid lotions, often in breakable containers, prolonged exposure of sensitive skin to the chemical action of the lotion and danger of lotion run-off in the eyes and facial skin of the subject.
A particularly serious problem exists with the use of alkaline permanent reducing solutions, since the skin is made up of soft keratin which is more easily broken down than the hard keratin of hair. Entry of the solution into any abrasion on the scalp often causes severe dermatitis and scalp inflammation. These solutions also cause serious damage to the cornea if accidentally dripped or splashed into the eye. Another danger is to the professional practitioner whose nails and finger skin softens and discolors due to continued use. Although gloves offer protection, they cause sweating of the hands and interfere with movements of the finger; thus, many operators do not use them.
The art has long sought means and possibilities to overcome the above disadvantages whereby hair waving and straightening solutions are rendered less damaging to the skin and hair and methods whereby the solutions are easier, faster and simpler to apply or use while achieving the same or more effective results for heat or cold, professional or home permanent waving and hair straightening.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome all of the above difficulties and to provide a process for altering the structure of hair with a novel structure reforming material which enables shorter processing time.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hair reducing material which promotes a higher degree of curl in a shorter period of time.
Another object of this invention is to eliminate drip and run-off of processing lotion during the permanent waving or straightening of hair.
Another object is to provide a product of manufacture capable of altering hair structure which has superior properties and which can be produced in a commercially advantageous form.
These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and disclosure.